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 Association for Special Children & Families Sunday Message August 23, 2020 |
Hope all is well with you as you prepare for the new school year. Check out our newsletter with information that we believe will help you and your children. We are offering some exciting Zoom opportunities for dads and youth we hope you will participate in.
REMINDER: OUR ONLY PHONE NUMBER IS 973-728-8744.
Please give us a call if you need assistance or have any questions. Your friends at ASCF
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Readying Teens and Tweens for a Pandemic School Year (NewBridge Services)
Tweens and teens may be hardest hit by the social distancing measures put in place to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Developmentally, they crave peer contact, which has been greatly restricted to prevent the virus' spread.
As the new school year gets underway, parents must weigh concerns about effects of distancing against the risk of their kids becoming infected. Should teens take the hybrid option, a blend of in-person and virtual learning, or do online-only classes? What if the district doesn't reopen school buildings?
The 2020-21 school year may be fraught with difficulties, but there are actions parents and teens can take to make the most of it. "It's going to take creativity, patience and empathy," said Beth Jacobson, director of Community Response and Education for NewBridge Services.
Managing Feelings
The pandemic is new territory for both parents and teens, and all the unknowns can take an emotional toll, Jacobson said. Family members may feel a loss of control. Adolescents worried about what school will be like may experience changes in sleeping and eating patterns, agitation, misbehavior, and an inability to concentrate, she said.
Two messages parents can reinforce is that the pandemic will end, and that people grow the most during times of great challenge. Along those lines, parents can help their children by strengthening their own resilience. Teenagers are attuned to their parents' emotions and internalize their reactions to stressors.
Jacobson suggests parents talk to their tweens and teens about their feelings. Reassure them that it's understandable to feel sadness, disappointment and frustration over the circumstances resulting from the pandemic. "Parents can encourage their teens to talk about their concerns and encourage them to create solutions," Jacobson said. That openness, she said, fosters security, a foundation for growth.
Safely Socializing
If, for example, they're feeling disconnected from peers, they could meet up with a few friends at a park or have one over (if the family is comfortable with that). "Make sure they understand that wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance are how friends can protect each other," she said. Adolescents are susceptible to peer pressure, so parents may want to do some role-playing before get-togethers on standing up for themselves. For instance, practice how to handle a friend who isn't wearing a mask.
Teens can set up online gatherings around a shared interest, with each member taking a turn to lead sessions. Parents may opt to give their children more latitude to use video conferencing and apps like Instagram and TikTok to hang out virtually with friends. (TikTok has parental controls, and Instagram encourages parents to help their teens safeguard their account.)
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Tips for Teens
Jacobson created a short video in the spring giving pandemic coping advice directly to middle schoolers:
- 1. Recognize that feeling anxious or stressed is completely normal
- 2. Create distractions
- 3. Find new ways to connect with friends
- 4. Focus on you
- 5. Feel your feelings
- 6. Be kind to yourself and others
Sticking to a Routine
Keeping a daily schedule that includes exercise, healthy meals, and solid sleep is key to well-being. This will be even more important when classes resume, whether in person or remotely.
Most students will receive some days of online instruction. Parents can encourage their teens to reach out to their teachers whenever they have questions. Help them create a home 'school space' that is quiet, free of distractions, and well lit.
Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga can be effective for managing stress and anxiety, she said. Some students may find low-cost meditation apps like Calm and Headspace helpful. Parents and teens who feel overwhelmed are welcome to contact NewBridge Services at (973) 316-9333 to schedule a telehealth counseling session with a licensed therapist
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Atlantic Health System is offering a webinar:
COVID-19 & Back to School:
Keeping Our Children (And Ourselves) Safe
Presenter: Eloise Valencia, BSN, RN, CIC Manager, Infection Prevention, Chilton Medical Center
Wednesday, August 26,2020 7:00 to 8:00pm
To register for this webinar, visit: https://atlantichealth.zoom.us/webinar/register/ WN_IYHZzY2JSVevlZPs46CgFw
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NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders presents
"In These Uncertain Times: Returning to School in an Age of Anxiety" Wed, Aug 26, 2020 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
In this talk, we will examine the long-term psychological experience of children during episodes of societal disruption, including factors that are associated with a higher degree of symptoms, as well as things that schools and others can do to try and ensure better outcomes. We will cover important concepts such as psychological first aid and other effective interventions that can support children who are struggling emotionally. These may be uncertain times, but that does not mean that we have to enter them unprepared.
The presenter, Dr. Deibler, has been a school psychologist for 29 years and holds a master's degree in school psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology. www.njcts.org 908 575 7350
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Sign up for our next 2 sessions on Wednesday,September 23 and September 30, 4:30-6 PM. This exciting new program is for Passaic County youth with ADHD. To register email [email protected] or phone 973-728-8744. This is collaboration with Passaic County FSO and ASCF.
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Disclaimer: The Association for Special Children and Families does not provide or give Legal or Medical advice. ASCF does not endorse or recommend any one specific diagnostic or therapeutic regime, organization, opinion or methodology mentioned in this newsletter. We are not responsible for the content or information on any website given and do not endorse or recommend the views expressed as we have no control over the nature and content of those sites.
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Contact Information
Assn. for Special Children & Families
POB 494, Hewitt, NJ 07421
973-728-8744
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